Service tools are often used to perform services on machines. For example, a service tool may be used to perform diagnostics and maintenance on a vehicle and its associated parts and/or systems, such as the engine, exhaust system, electrical system, etc. A service tool may be implemented, for example, in a computer that connects to a machine via an interface such as a CAN-1939 interface that connects to a service area network via a network interface.
Some service tools are implemented via computer application programs running on a computers such as desktop PCs, laptops, or other host computers running a host operating system (e.g., Microsoft Windows™, Linux™, Mac OS™, etc.). Certain service tools may run on the host operating system of multi-functional personal computers and may be used to perform diagnostic and maintenance services on machines. However, because these service tools run on the host operating system, they may interfere with the host operating system settings and operations, resulting in costly and time consuming configuration and maintenance of the host computer and host operating system, which service technicians may not be qualified to handle. For example, to connect a service tool running on a host operating system to a service network of a machine to be serviced, network and security settings and configurations for the host operating system may need to be adjusted. These adjustments may be difficult for a service technician to carry out, as the service technician would typically be trained in using service tools but not necessarily in computer networking applications. Consequently, altering the network and security settings of a host operating system on a PC can be complicated, can leave the PC open to attacks from malicious attacks and/or viruses, and may result in improper settings and communication failures.
To avoid such complications, some service tools are implemented on systems that are separate from a PC or laptop. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0033609 A1 to Razavi (the '609 publication) describes a data acquisition system that connects to a vehicle in order to diagnose the vehicle. The data acquisition system is separate from a laptop or PC, and may be connected to a laptop or PC via an interface device. Collected data may be viewed using the laptop or PC. While the system described by the '609 publication may avoid the need to alter configuration settings on a PC or laptop, it lacks the processing capability of a multi-functional laptop or PC. In addition, it requires a direct connection to a computer to upgrade or update the software that runs the data acquisition system. Furthermore, the system of the '609 publication requires users to maintain two separate hardware-based systems (e.g., a computer and separate data acquisition system), which can be cumbersome and which lacks the flexibility that a software-based service tool provides.
The disclosed embodiments are directed toward overcoming the shortcomings of the systems described above.